Takadja

How did a young woman from Quebec end up fronting for a band devoted to the rhythms of West Africa? Check out Takadja and find out how a love of music brings people together. Group founder Francine Martel first heard the call of the drum 20 years ago and has since travelled to Guinea, Senegal and the Ivory Coast to learn from the masters. Oumar N'diaye is a renowned dancer in his native Guinea who brings acrobatics to the stage. Other band members are: Nathalie Dussault on the harp-life kora; Youssou Seck on percussion; Robert Lepine on the balafon (a relative of the xylophone); and Alassane Fall on guitar. Takadja - a word meaning to "vibrate while dancing" in the Guere language of the Ivory Coast - won a Juno this year for best global album.